My friends, acolytes, worshipers, creditors, stalkers, cats who can read, and Ned Hickson,
To suggest my focus has been divided lately is to suggest Justin Bieber has been “acting out”. The truth is, I’ve been trying to craft Book Two into something a publisher would look at for a nanosecond rather than chuck like an old, dried-up milking cow, while writing posts to draw Jimmy Fallon to Niagara Falls, while writing a pitch worthy of the CBC, while trying to support my family, while…
I’m knackered.
I think its time for a little self-evaluation, don’t you? You don’t agree? Listen here, I’ve had just about all the sass I’m going to take from you. I wanted to avoid this but here we go; you’ve grown too big for those britches and now it’s time throw down.
What’s that? I misheard you? I have been meaning to get my auditory canals flushed out but who has the time? Let’s never fight again, all right? I’m so glad we cleared that up.
Now then, let’s get back to a subject I’m only beginning to get a handle on… me. Don’t get me wrong, I know how to “handle” myself. In fact, the stories I could tell you; there was a two-week period in high school when I couldn’t even grip a pencil…
But I digress.
So who am I?
Translated into a tongue older than Chuck Norris, “Robert Hookey” means “He who fails at virtually every quest he undertakes but is funny as hell to observe as he does so.” Okay, so it’s a muddled translation. Like Sumerian. Or Khloe Kardashian’s parentage. Let’s move on.
My childhood in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, was nothing to write home about – but that’s only because I never actually left home. Otherwise, I had many adventures, most of them involving ill-fated attempts to attract the opposite sex while attempting to uncover portals to distant, mystical lands such as Oz or New Jersey. I also spent a great deal of my formative years trying to avoid being mauled by wild animals such as dogs, possums and oxen. This allowed me to become quite the little speedster, a quality which has served me well in my current career as the most outspoken bellman in the entire sprawling metropolis of Niagara Falls.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. What do you know? It doesn’t just happen in the bedroom. Moving on…
After surviving my childhood and all the joy/despair/unspeakable tragedy it brought with it, I dove into high school – but thankfully, not the toilets – and all the rejection, self-discovery, and lonely nights it brought with it. After high school came some time away from my education and more adventures that left me feeling less than confident about my chances of not dying a virgin.
Then I went to college and everything changed. I became a man who quickly accepted and even embraced his role as the Universe’s bitch.
I won the heart of my on-again-off-again love.
I became a husband.
A father.
A bellman. But not just any bellman; a combination of luck, stubbornness, moxie, blind courage, and a hex from an ex-girlfriend or two (Kennedy women hold grudges, trust me), combined to form the personality known the world over as The Hook.
And now?
Now I wear many hats – and not just because my hairline has receded faster than Kim Kardashian’s dignity. I am a husband, father, blogging bellman, failed author, the worst DIYer in recorded history, compulsive tweeter, failed pitcher, dreamer, mocker of celebrities, and above all, a work-in-progress.
My dog sees ghosts that hover on the ceilings above our front foyer and living room. (Yes, a working-class bellman can have a foyer. Shut up.) These apparitions appear to be benevolent in nature and so we haven’t taken steps to remove them, even though they, like my dog, refuse to pay rent or chip in for groceries.
My daughter is a creative genius whom the world has yet to recognize. Her day will come and the world better watch out; its not going to know what hit it. I just hope she breaks through soon; her old man is getting tired of working for a living.
I have collected comic books ever since I escaped from that prison society refers to as a “womb” and while my collection has varied in size over the years, it currently stands at two thousand strong. Unfortunately, years of reading comics did not result in increased strength or invulnerability and so I suffered a tibial plateau fracture after an ill-fated foray into the DIY world which forced me to sit out the Summer of 2014, a circumstance that is akin to a lifetime in Hell for a bellman, both financially and physiologically. I no longer DIY or collect comics.
I hunt – but only for comic books. I miss the days when comic conventions were exclusively devoted to those four-color periodicals. Those were good days, filled with wall-to-wall vintage and new comics, drunken artists and writers, the odd celebrity, scantily clad women whose services were paid for by nerds who saved their allowance all year long, classic toys, and of course, many, many brawls.
Oh, how I miss the pure adrenalin rush of thousands of geeks locked in literal Mortal Kombat. Those days are long gone ( thank you, bleeding heart activists), but here are a few tips I discovered over the years that will prove invaluable if you ever find yourself in a comic convention donnybrook.
ONE: Keep a powerful flashlight handy. Many nerds are accustomed to the low lighting of their parents’ basement and can be scared away by a strong burst of light.
TWO: Never mind a light saber, always carry a “foam” battle ax when attending a con. Light sabers tend to bend after they’ve come in contact with a few geeky skulls. I called mine Eric the Red, because once Eric was unleashed, the convention walls and floor were soon covered in blood.
THREE: Scream. A lot. Scream like a Kardashian in a Senate hearing. Nerds are a cowardly and superstitious lot and therefore frighten easily. Start shrieking and they’ll run away instantly and you can strike from behind, Geneva Convention be damned!
FOUR: Throw a pile of girlie magazines into the battling crowd. The poindexters will turn their attention to the adult publications, providing you with a perfect opening. Fish in a barrel.
FIVE: Yell, “Look, there’s Batfleck!”, and point to an individual who resembles Ben Affleck. The assembled crowd will pounce on that poor bastard like Katie Couric at a Las Vegas buffet. This should provide you with enough time to get to safety.
And that, my friends, concludes this installment of my life so far. Introducing too much Hook into a human nervous system can result in many side effects such as headaches, sonic diarrhea, hives, hallucinations, an erection lasting longer than four hours (whether you have a penis or not), and an uncontrollable desire to shed your clothes and run wild through the streets in search of government-grade cheese.
Until next time, see you in the lobby, kids…
Thanks for the glimpse into the The Hook! Now I must rinse out my burned retinas. Kidding!
I understand, Susie. I’m a wild ride – in blog form, at least.
Yay…looking forward to reading part two of infinite…To me you are just an awesome father, husband and person…I don’t want to risk sonic diarrhea, so I will wait.
Wise choice.
Wise doesn’t equal me. Watch out world when it hears your daughter’s voice.
Indeed.
And stop being so hard on yourself!
Loved this post! I am surrounded by comics, some of them signed and all in sleeves. And Lego. Lots of Lego. Unfortunately, I don’t own any of it…
As long as you have access to it, Suzie… it counts. Thanks for the support!
I’m not allowed to touch any of them.
Well, that sucks.
Thank you! That answers almost all my questions about you.
Glad to be of service, Kay.
Hi Hook! Very nice part one. You are a man of many talents. I’m really glad to read you’re working on book number two!
I’ve been “working” on it for a long time, Maddie. I’ve decided to forgo a deadline and finish it when the spirit moves me. The results so far have been encouraging. Fortunately, I’ve grown a s a writer and person.
Great to hear from you again.
This Spiderman/SNL cover has got to be the strangest Marvel cover I’ve ever seen. It starts to look like Mad.
I agree!
But it was an actual comic that depicted Spidey’s battle with a super-villain on the set of Saturday Night Live.
Yep.
Whew. For a second there, I thought it was Super Friends & SNL, is if they teamed up or something. 😛
That would have been cool…
Thank you for the lovely stories. I know a few good folks in BC who hail from St. Catherines. Must be something good in the water! It is good to get to know you, unless of course, you gave me a nasty rash. Regardless, I am looking forward to all your writing and stories. I have been hooked! Take care.
You’ve been hooked?
Just so you know, there’s no cure.
Thanks for the friendship and devotion.
a w e s o m e !
I had a feeling we hadn’t met the real and total Hook. Can’t wait for part two. 🙂
Me too! When are you writing it?
Ha ha. I have enough on my plate with my writing. I’m sure you’ll manage just fine–better than fine. 😀
Ooh I’m intrigued. Tell me, what does one do when cornered with an angry mob of nerds waving foam axes because they asked whether you prefer Star Wars or Star Trek and you answered ‘Stargate, obviously’?…
1) Take a deep breath.
2) Make peace with your god.
3) Break out Eric the Red and start swinging!
You da man! he he! Thanks for sharing… I feel so enlightened now!!! When do we get to see Part Deux? Hmmm ? 😉
We’ll see… I’ve been blocked and overwhelmed, remember?
Oh Hook!
THIS is why I keep coming back to your place for more…it’s cuz YOU’RE here! If only I could be a fly on the wall as you go through your day. I have no doubt with your talent (and moxie) that your second book will be accepted with open arms and fly off the book shelves.
Can’t wait for part 2!!
Now I feel the pressure.. better get writing!
(In a few days, tho. I need to make the most of a few days off.)
Thanks for the support and blog love, Michelle!
Never any pressure from me, my friend. Plenty of time and it’ll be worth the wait. Enjoy your days off!
Now we’re peeling away at the layers to see The Hook . It’s very interesting but i think you know that i for one think you are the best ! Now on the comic books , i hope you are adding the SleepyHollow comics to that collection ? ☺
I haven’t really been able to collect new comics since I broke my leg, but maybe I’ll score some at comic con this summer?
I made notes as I read this and will devote some time piecing it all together and understanding it. i’ll be back with questions after doing due diligence. Meanwhile, Carry On!
Will do, Paul!
Thanks!
I don’t have comic books, but I love them dearly. I did get the latest Lego set with Green Lantern vs. Sinestro. My son, upon his return home yesterday, absconded with it. I hope one day to see what it looks like fully assembled.
I feel your pain.
Good luck!
Hook, thank you for the glimpse into Hook-dom. You are terribly funny, even if overly-modestly so, so I am anxiously awaiting part 2 of infinity. 😀
Thanks, my dear friend.
You make me laugh and make me cry while I’m laughing you son of a bithc. Sorry – dyslexic fingers kikced in & I’m not fixing it — (oooh – you’ve ‘raised’ a lil bit of fight in me – lol. Hope it lasts for more than 4 hours and where is Eric these days … ) The Hook-dom (I like that one) survives and failed author you are not my friend. Every one of your writings is beyond words and lifts me out of the shit muck I trudge through every day – for that – Thank you again my friend. p.s if everyone of your followers went on a promote & tweet & facebook & every other damn thing that exists thses days – you’re author finances would be the thing to change. Your authorness is certainly intact!!!
Tips that could only come from experience!
Indeed!
Thanks!
In the couple of years that I’ve read your blog I don’t think I’ve read an autobiographical post like this, about your family yes, but not an introspective piece. Funny as hell! But I don’t think you’re a failed author, you’re published and now working on number two. A failed author is one who gave up…we are all works in progress and I want to thank you for inviting me to check out your portfolio…it rocks!
“I became a man who quickly accepted and even embraced his role as the Universe’s bitch.” Ha,ha! Great line, Hook! This is hilarious. I now know more about you which I can later use to blackmail you if need be. 🙂
Nice!